Locking whip-socket.



N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903,. F. R. DBVER & M. GARDNER.

LOOKING WHIP SOCKET.

APPLICATION mam AUG. 6. 1902.

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UN Tnio TATES ATENT ()FFICE.

FRANK R. DEVER AND MILO GARDNER, OF CARBONDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCKING WHIP-SOCKET.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,088, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed August 6, 1902. Serial No. 118.674. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK R. DEVER and MILO GARDNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Carbondale, in the cou nty of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Whip-Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking whip-sockets; and the primary object of the same is to produce a simple and effective whip-socket of this class in which the whip may be readily locked or fastened automatically by a downward pressure exerted thereon and incapable of being withdrawn after it is fastened within the socket until released by a suitable key, thereby avoiding the loss of whips during absence from a vehicle and also preventing accidentaldisplacementofawhipfromits socket by the motion of the vehicle during travel.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a whip-socket embodying the features of the invention and showing a portion of a whip locked therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the socket with the parts in the same condition shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts before they are locked and as they will appear when the whip is first inserted in the socket 01' after the parts have been unlocked for the release of the whip.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a casing which in the present instance is of rectangular form and has a centrally-located horizontally-disposed partition 2, which divides the casing into an upper whip-receiving compartment 3 and a lower locked compartment 1. The casing 1 also has rear securing-ears 5 at opposite sides and an upper guide-sleeve 6, with securing-ears 7, the said guide-sleeve rising centrally from the top of the casing and alining with an opening 8, which provides means of entrance and exit for the whip-stock in relation to the socket. In the upper compartment 3 a pair of dogs 9 is pivotally mounted and fulcrumed at intermediate points, said dogs having inwardly-projected curved arms 10 at their upper extremities, terminating in inner yokes 11. The dogs also have lower inwardly-projecting extensions 12, which are disposed at an angle and have their inner ends 13 beveled for a purpose which will be presently set forth. The dogs 9 are normally held open by bowed springs 14, having their free extremities bearing against the outer edges of the dogs, below the fulcru ms of the latter.

In the lower central portion of the compartment 4 is a guide-collar 15, arranged in a horizontal plane and in alinement with an opening 16 in the center of the partition 2, and in the said guide-collar 15 and opening 16 a vertically-disposed plungerliis movably mounted and virtually constitutes a slide-bolt. The plunger 17 has an upper inverted frusto-conical head 18 with a flat upper surface 19, the said head and the plunger being normally held elevated by a spring 20, hearing against the lower end of the plunger below the collar 15. The upward movement of the plunger is limited by an outwardly-projecting 'stop 21, which is adapted to contact with the under side of the partition 2, and below the stop is an upwardly inclined catch projection 22, with which one end of the latch-bar 23 is adapted to engage, the said bar having. an angular nose to take over the upper inclined end of the said latch projection 22, the terminal of the latch-bar adjacent to the nose being rounded to ride over the adjacent edge of the projection 22 during the depression of the plunger to lock the latter, as clearly indicated by Fig. 3. The latch-bar 23 is pivotally connected at its lower end and is normally projected at an inward incline by a spring 25, which is curved around the lower end of the latch-bar and engages the inner ends of the latter above its pivotal point. The front side of the casing is formed with a suitable keyhole slot for the introduction thereinto of a key 26, said slot being in operative relation to the latch-bar 23 or so that the bit of the key will contact with the inner edge of the latch-bar when turned to'release said bar from the latch projection 22. The

form of key and keyhole may be varied at will; but in all forms of keys employed in connection with the improved device the bit will be long enough to clear the angular nose of the latch-bar 23 from the latch projection 22.

The parts of the whip-socket when in nor- ICC mal position are disposed as shown by Fig. 3, with the upper members or arms of the dogs opened their full extent in accordance with the tension of the springs 14 exerted thereon and the lower extensions 12 projected inwardly. The plunger 17 will also be in elevated position and the shouldered nose of the latch-bar 23 will rest against the side edge of sions will be forced apart as the head 18 descends, and the yokes 11 of the arms 10 will be gradually drawn toward the downwardlymoving whip stock or butt. The downward pressure on the whip stock or butt is continued until the latch projection 22 has descended far enough to permit the angular nose 2% of the latch-bar 23 to automatically spring over the upper edge of said projection, and at such time the yokes 11 will have firmly clamped the whip stock or butt and will be held against outward movement by the head 18, which will then be locked in lowered position. All attempts to remove the whip from the socket by drawing upwardly thereon will be frustrated in view of the gripping action of the yokes 11, and, furthermore, as all whips usually have a bead or enlargement at the lower ends of their butts or stocks forceful sliding movement of the whip outwardly between the yokes will be prevented by such enlarged portion of the stock or butt contacting with the yokes. The only way to release the whip from the socket is by means of the key 26, which is inserted in the lower compartment 4 and turned to cause the bit thereof to-throw the latch-bar 23 outwardly and clear the angular nose 24 from the pro jection 22, and when this has been accomplished the spring 20 immediately acts and forces the plunger 17 upwardly and at the same time the springs 14 throw the arms 10 of the dogs 9 and the yokes carried by said arms outwardly, as shown by Fig. 3.

The improved socket will be found exceptionally useful and may be readily applied to any vehicle, and to accommodate different applications changes in the form, proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a locking whip-socket, the combination of a vertically-movable plunger,and having a projection extending outwardly therefrom at an intermediate point, a pair of spring-actuated clamping elements cooperating with said plunger, and a pivoted locking means for engaging said projection and holding the plunger lowered and the clamping elements in close engagement with the whipstock.

2. In a locking whip-socket of the class set forth, the combination of a pair of springactuated dogs having upper clamping-yokes and lower extensions with beveled terminals, a plunger vertically movable between the dogs and having a head to engage the terminals of said extensions, the said plunger being normally held elevated, and means for locking the plunger in its lowered position, said means being released to permit the plunger to automatically elevate and relieve the dogs from a clamping position.

3. In a locking whip-socket, the combination of a casing having upper andlower compartments, a pair of spring-actuated clamping elements mounted in the upper compartment, a plunger vertically reciprocable in both compartments and normally held elevated, the said plunger having an upper inverted conical head movable between and through the lower ends of the said elements, and means in the lower compartment for holding the plunger depressed.

4. In a locking whip-socket, the combination of a casing having a pair of spring-actuated locking elements in the upper portion thereof, and provided with lower inturned members and upper inwardly projecting clamping-arms having terminal yokes, avertically-movable spring-actuated plunger cooperating with said elements and having an upper inverted conical head to engage the lower members of the said elements and a latch projection extending at an intermediate point therefrom, and a spring-controlled pivoted latch-bar to engage said projection and lock the plunger depressed.

5. In a locking whip-socket, the combination of a casing having entrance and outlet means at the upper portion thereof, springactuated pivoted clamping elements mounted in the upper portion of the casing and having upper inwardly-projecting arms terminating in yokes, the pivots for said elements being located at an intermediate point therein, a vertically-reciprocable spring-actuated plunger having an upper cam-head cooperating with and movable between the lower ends of the said elements, and means for locking the said plunger in depressed position, the clamp ing elements and plunger being respectively brought into clamping position and depressed and automatically locked by the introduction of a whip-stock into the socket and an exertion of downward pressure thereon.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK R. DEVER. MILO GARDNER. Witnesses:

JAMEs J. ONEILL, J. V. DE LANEY. 

